Page 13 - Phantom of the Opera

soon swelled enormously among the corps de ballet* All the girls But Sorelli turned the key and opened the door. She bravely
pretended that they met this phantom often. And those who looked into the passage. It was empty. The dancer closed the door
laughed the loudest were the least comfortable. again.
And who had seen him? You meet so many men in fine "No," she said, "there is no one there. Now, girls, stop all this.
clothes at the Opera who are not ghosts. But his suit covered a No one has ever seen the ghost."
skeleton. At least, the ballet girls said so. And, it had the face of "Yes, yes, we saw him — we saw him just now!" cried the girls.
Death. "He had his face of Death and his fine clothes, just as when he
Was all this serious? In fact, the idea of the skeleton came from appeared to Joseph Buquet!"
the description of the ghost given by Joseph Buquet, who was in "And Gabriel, the singing master, saw him too!" said Jammes.
charge of moving scenery. He had really seen the ghost — on the "Gabriel was in the stage manager's office and the Persian came
stairs that led to the cellars — for a second before the ghost ran in. Gabriel saw the ghost behind the Persian! He saw the ghost
away. with the face of Death, just like Joseph Buquet's description!"
Buquet told his listeners, "He is extraordinarily thin and his Little Giry said, "Joseph Buquet should keep quiet."
coat hangs on his skeleton. His eyes are very deep — just two big, "Why?" somebody asked.
black holes. His nasty yellow skin is tightly stretched across his "That's mother's opinion," replied Meg. She lowered her voice
bones, and he has no nose, which is a horrible thing to look at." and looked around.
Joseph Buquet was a serious man, not one who imagines "And why is it your mother's opinion?" asked another girl.
things. His words were received with interest and amazement; "Mother says the ghost doesn't like being talked about."
and soon other people claimed to have seen the ghost. And then, "And why does your mother say so?"
a series of curious events that nobody could explain made All the girls came closer. "Because .. because .. I swore not
.
.
everybody feel uncomfortable. to tell!"
But we must return to the evening when Jammes cried, "It's a They promised to keep her secret and Meg was desperate to
ghost!" After the first excitement, everything was quiet in the tell all she knew. With her eyes on the door, she began, "Well, it's
dressing room. Then, with real terror on her face, Jammes cried, because of the private box."
"Listen!" "What private box?"
They could hear somebody outside the door. Sorelli went up "The ghost's box!"
to it and in a shaky voice asked, "Who's there?" But nobody "Does the ghost have a box in the Opera?"
answered. Feeling all eyes on her, she asked loudly, "Is anyone "Not so loud!" said Meg. "It's Box Five."
behind the door?" "Oh, nonsense!"
"Oh, yes. Of course there is!" cried little Meg Giry. She held "I tell you it is. Mother's in charge of it. No one has had it for
Sorelli back by her skirt. "Whatever you do, don't open the door!" over a month, except the ghost, and orders have been given at the
box office that it must never be sold."
* corps de ballet: the dancers in a ballet company. "And does the ghost really come there?"

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